The National Assembly Education Committee has pledged to fast-track a Bill that will formally recognise and support Alternative Provision of Basic Education and Training (APBET) schools, after holding public participation sessions in Dagoretti North and Ruaraka constituencies.
The sessions, held at Lavington Primary School in Dagoretti North and Stima Club in Ruaraka, brought together residents, teachers, parents, school proprietors, and learners from Dagoretti North, Dagoretti South, Kibra, Mathare, Ruaraka, and parts of Kiambu County.
The Committee is gathering views on the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Dagoretti North MP Antony Oluoch. The Bill seeks to amend the Basic Education Act to include APBET schools under the legal definition of basic education.
Committee Chair Julius Melly lauded APBET institutions for bridging education gaps in informal settlements.
“You are filling the gap where the government has not, and you have produced brilliant minds. We will ensure this Bill is fast-tracked and passed,” said Melly.
If enacted, the law would see APBET schools including institutions in children’s homes, facilities for learners with disabilities, and community-run schools in slums mapped, recognised, registered, and granted benefits similar to public schools.
Stakeholders told the Committee that overcrowded public schools make APBET facilities essential.
“In informal settlements, there are no public schools in the slums. We want to be legally recognised as education service providers,” said Amos Kaguchia, a Dagoretti North school proprietor.
For Austin Omondi, proprietor of Bright Angels School in Korogocho Slum, the lack of government support has negatively affected learning.
“I have 350 children, but I do not receive any support. We are struggling to survive,” he said.
Teachers also stressed the need for equal opportunity in education.
“Every child, regardless of where they come from, should be given equal opportunity to basic education,” said Nelly Chepkurgat, a teacher.
The teachers further highlighted the emotional impact the challenges have had on learners.
“APBET school children must feel they are not different from those in public schools. Right now, schools have closed because we can’t pay our teachers,” said secondary school headteacher Ouma Ayuko.
Nairobi MCA and Vice Chair of the Nairobi County Assembly’s Education Committee, Kennedy Swaka urged MPs to address the legal gap that has left APBET schools in limbo.
“There was a lacuna in the law. The Bill addresses registration of APBET schools, and we should waive some requirements to ensure they are registered and allocated resources,” he said.
Residents called for equity in education access, noting that many slum families cannot afford private schools. Students appealed directly for government help with teachers’ salaries, books, and learning materials.
The Committee acknowledged that in some areas, such as Githurai Sub County, where there are only five public schools, APBET institutions are not just supplementary but essential.
“In our Constitution, education is free and compulsory, and should be provided by the Government. In this country, we have public schools, private schools, and APBET schools. We must recognise and support them all,” said Melly.
The Education Committee will now consolidate submissions from across the country before presenting its report to the National Assembly.
